The problem is not the protagonist doing something "eek," but with not being able to respect the protagonist's stupid decision as would be the case if the reader can see making that choice, even though the reader knows that it's the wrong one, and the reader is torn up right along with the protagonist.

It drew to a halt in front of the elegant stone entrance to the main building, and then began to trundle slowly backwards again until its occupant yanked on the handbrake, which evoked from the car a sort of strangled "eek".